Press Release by Occupy Central with Love and Peace | 1.9.2014

Response by Prof. Chan Kin-man, one of the organizers of the Occupy Central with Love and Peace, after attending thebriefing session on constitutional development of Hong Kong

Occupy Central with Love and Peace has made a public promise to resort to  civil disobedience only if all chances of dialogue have been exhausted.  To keep this promise, Prof. Chan Kin-man and Rev. Chu Yiu-ming attended this morning's briefing session on Hong Kong constitutional development and, with utmost patience, listened to Li Fei's explanation of the justifications behind the NPC Standing Committee's decision.

Chan Kin-man regarded Li Fei's speech as obscuring the facts and misleading the public.  The nomination committee needs to be modeled after the election committee, which is, in the eyes of Hong Kong people, a "small circle" but regarded by Li as "broadly representative".  There is no point talking about "democratic procedures" when the nomination committee is not formed on a democratic basis.  Not to mention that the threshold of nomination is significantly raised from currently one-eighth to one-half.  To put it bluntly, the whole thing is just "handpicked politics" in the disguise of "universal suffrage".  People simply will not be deceived.

There does not seem to be any room for genuine universal suffrage under this framework.  Seeing that all chances of dialogue have been exhausted, our only way is civil disobedience and occupying Central.

Opinion polls have consistently shown that 60% of Hong Kong people support universal suffrage.  They have also consistently voted for pan-democrats in past Legislative Council elections.  However, these lawmakers who represent the majority of society became the minority in the briefing session and their ejection was cheered by other participants.  This is the true meaning of "broadly representative"!  Such a government, by isolating itself from its people and not trusting them, will finally be an enemy of the people!

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